Inspiration: A Touch Of Hope & Humor…

“A sense of humor… is needed armor. Joy in one’s heart and some laughter on one’s lips is a sign that the person down deep has a pretty good grasp of life.” Hugh Sidey

Inspiration: A Touch Of Hope & Humor...

What I’ve Learned…Maya Angelou was interviewed by Oprah on her 70+ birthday… Oprah asked her what she thought of growing older. And, there on television, she said it was exciting… Regarding body changes, she said there were many, occurring everyday……like her breasts. They seemed to be in a race to see which will reach her waist, first. The audience laughed so hard they cried. Maya Angelou also said this: I’ve learned that no matter what happens, or how bad it seems today, life does go on, and it will be better tomorrow. I’ve learned that you can tell a lot about a person by the way he/she handles these three things: a rainy day, lost luggage, and tangled Christmas tree lights. I’ve learned that regardless of your relationship with your parents, you’ll miss them when they’re gone from your life. I’ve learned that making a ‘living’ is not the same thing as ‘making a life. I’ve learned that life sometimes gives you a second chance. I’ve learned that you shouldn’t go through life with a catcher’s mitt on both hands; you need to be able to throw some things back… I’ve learned that whenever I decide something with an open heart, I usually make the right decision. I’ve learned that even when I have pains, I don’t have to be one… I’ve learned that every day you should reach out and touch someone. People love a warm hug or just a friendly pat on the back… I’ve learned that I still have a lot to learn. I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.

A touch of hope and humor can carry us through the day; especially when things seem gloomy … be strong. I get inspirational stories and funny pieces from friends and family via email. From time to time, I like to share them with readers because I believe that life is to be lived with humor, gratitude, and a touch of hope. Maya’s wisdom shines through in the piece above and one aphorism that stood out is “I’ve learned that I still have a lot to learn.” I hope you enjoy the three pieces shared above and below.

“We hope that, when the insects take over the world, they will remember with gratitude how we took them along on all our picnics.” Bill Vaughn

Inspiration: A Touch Of Hope & Humor... Ravi River in India

Destroying Genius?Consider this as an examiner: A student got 0% in an exam for giving the answers below to questions posed. … Was the marking fair?
Q1. In which battle did Napoleon die? His last battle
Q2. Where was the Declaration of Independence signed? At the bottom of the page
Q3. River Ravi flows in which state? Liquid.
Q4. What is the main reason for divorce? Marriage
Q5. What is the main reason for failure? Exams
Q6. What can you never eat for breakfast? Lunch & dinner
Q7. What looks like half an apple? The other half
Q8. If you throw a red stone into the blue sea what will it become? It will simply become wet
Q9. How can a man go eight days without sleeping? No problem, he sleeps at night.
Q10. How can you lift an elephant with one hand? You will never find an elephant that has only one hand.
Q11. If you had three apples and four oranges in one hand and four apples and three oranges in other hand, what would you have? Very large hands
Q12. If it took eight men ten hours to build a wall, how long would it take four men to build it? No time at all, the wall is already built.

There is much discussion lately about how schools are failing students by not adequately preparing them with a sound knowledge base and for exams. Many teachers work hard to help their students succeed and then the rest is up to us; child and parent. The above could either be seen as an indictment of that poor fellow’s teacher or simply as his literal approach to the questions. Either way, it is quite funny. Number four was quite telling… 😆 More below. 😉

“A well-developed sense of humor is the pole that adds balance to your steps as you walk the tightrope of life.” William Arthur Ward

Inspiration: A Touch Of Hope & Humor... Sandstone - lower antelope

In Sand and Stone…
Two friends were walking through the desert. At some point of the journey, they had an argument; and one friend slapped the other in the face. The one who got slapped was hurt, but without saying anything, wrote in the sand: “Today, my best friend slapped me in the face.” They kept walking, until they found an oasis where they decided to take a bath. The friend who had been slapped got stuck in the mire, and started drowning, the other friend saved him. After he recovered, he wrote on a stone: “Today my best friend saved my life.” The friend who had slapped and saved his best friend asked, “After I hurt you, you wrote in the sand and now you write on stone. Why?” The friend replied, “When someone hurts us, we should write it down in sand, where winds of forgiveness can erase it away. But when someone does something good for us, we must engrave it in stone where no wind can ever erase it.” Learn to write your hurts in the sand and to carve your benefits in stone. They say it takes a minute to find a special person, an hour to appreciate them, a day to love them but an entire life to forget them.

If we take our hurts and write them in the sand, and then spread some love around, we might help ourselves begin the process of forgiveness and healing. With forgiveness comes gratitude and hope. “Gratitude is merely the secret hope of further favors.” François de la Rochefoucauld Give hope a chance.
What about you? What are your thoughts? What gives you hope? What does humor add to your life? What type of inspiring stories do you enjoy? Do you have a touch of hope and humor to share? Do share! Thank you. 🙂

*Please bear with me as I catch up on your blogs and commenting… Thank you all for your patience! 🙂

Positive Motivation Tip: A touch of hope and humor can carry us through our day; especially when things seem gloomy … hold on.

I think the student did really well and certainly had a wicked sense of humour. He answere thed questions as they were posed. The answers might not have been what the examiner expected, but they were not incorrect.

On the other hand looks like the student could not have given a toss about the exam. :=)
“A touch of hope and humor can carry us through the day” You certainly need both living in Portugal.

Wonderful post, Eliz! I especially love the Maya Angelou interview on Oprah. This Valentine’s Day, all of my co-workers had to make a box into which everyone would put a treat or card. I made a small red heart and pasted Maya Angelou’s saying on each: “People will forget what you say, people will forget what you do, but people will never forget how you make them feel.” I truly believe in that message…and it guides me through each day. 🙂 Oh, and i tied a lollipop on each card. 😉

Elizabeth,
I noticed your gravatar while perusing the Postaday2012 offerings, and it brought me here. You post today is a wonderful collection of humor and insight, As you already know, the whole purpose of my photoblog is to get people to laugh or smile (or at least groan) every weekday. It is one of the most rewarding things I have ever done.

That student was definitely thinking outside the box! It really demonstrates how linear and rigid we approach education, no wonder students these days are rebelling. As much as I want to go back to school, I dread just doing an advanced degree in one discipline — I have so many interests — why limit our imaginations?
Love Maya and that quote is spot on. We all have lots to learn and if we’re open, will learn something new everyday. If fact, we should, so our brains keep active and fresh.
Not holding on to hurts is a good idea but by and large, I doubt enough of us are socialized yet. We still wear our hurt like a badge of honor. Whenever I think of letting stuff go, I think of the shooting incident some years ago at the Amish school and the community’s stance of forgiveness. I don’t know that I could be so forgiving though I know in my heart that forgiving and letting go are twins. We really need to learn how to forgive ourselves as well.
Enjoyed reading your post, as usual, Elizabeth!

I think I’d have had to give that kid an “A” and maybe a make-up exam as a bonus if he could actually answer the questions with the answers that were expected (via the public school system). The kid obviously thinks outside the box, and in a very witty manner. He shows positive signs of survival skills. LOL. He should actually run for office, with those answers. It sounds like what we’re getting, coming off of the Hill. LOL. I really enjoyed this post. Thank you for sharing. By the way, Ms Angelou was evidently a very wise cookie herself. With age comes wisdom.

How does someone become so full of humor and so wise like Maya Angelou, simultaneously?

The exam answers remind me of a very difficult witness… the answers are “technically correct” so I don’t think he should have been flunked. Rather, the teacher should be flunked for not outsmarting the student… 😉

Humor will instantly change your focus. I make fun of just about everything (but not in a mean way.) It really helps me to keep life’s little annoyances (like having a birthday) in perspective.

The exam is so telling. I am a teacher and I learned long ago that to truly teach, you must not teach them that YOUR answer is the only RIGHT answer. That student would have gotten 100% from me even if they weren’t the answers I expected.

Humor helps me cope up with the pain and stress of life…it gives me a sense of hope and light in times of darkness….It’s healthy for the heart and I bet it heals the weary soul every time. Beautiful post my friend. It just inspired me today. Thanks.

Great post Elizabeth. I particularly enjoyed the Maya Angelou interview. There is much truth in what she said. This post was a wonderful lesson about perspective and how important humor is in our lives. Thank you.

What wonderful reminders – I would have given the student a big Thank You! Maya is always a gem, and the stone and sand – another wonderful blessing. I’ve been wondering where my own sense of humor went – thanks for your post and visiting. Your comment there made me think…. hmmm. 🙂 LOL!

These lines:”I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.” put together with the wonderful story about writing the hurts in sand and the healings in stone is just making my day today. So valuable during my Lenten Journey, as well. And the photo of that amazingly convoluted sandstone formation at the Lower Antelope is just jaw-dropping! Thank you so very much!

“I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.” That’s a mouthful, Eliz. I just tried to memorize it.

Anyway, I must say aside from the carrying us through our day, it’s one quality a teacher should have. I’m just not that lucky to have that humor injected by the Aura up there when He gave it free – as a promo. H’m … I must have been sleeping.

Thanks to my teaching career for it made me realize how important, truly, humor is in our life. We, teachers, need it more than anybody else for its power to carry the dreading lectures.

I’d like to share this post, which I think says something about humor:

Love all three! Mahalo for all of your positive posts and for putting up with me during those times I fail to stop by and comment. I’m still working on my sense of humor, but I do have much gratitude for my life and the people who cross my path, including you.